Irish Slaves

[lelfda]

Why don't any of you, ever talk about the first slaves in America? They were White Irish Slaves. Read the books Sahara and White Gold. The White Slaves were given the most dangerous jobs, because they had no value. They were ruled and beaten by the Big Black slaves, who cost more money.

[dogrednunoitan1]

Could it be because there are no slaves in America now even though the NAACP, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and the Congressional Black Caucus want us to believe otherwise just to keep things going?

[davetexas]

Could it be because there are no slaves in America now even though the NAACP, Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and the Congressional Black Caucus want us to believe otherwise just to keep things going?


Treatment
Although the Africans and Irish were housed together and were the property of the planter owners, the Africans received much better treatment, food and housing. In the British West Indies the planters routinely tortured white slaves for any infraction. Owners would hang Irish slaves by their hands and set their hands or feet afire as a means of punishment. To end this barbarity, Colonel William Brayne wrote to English authorities in 1656 urging the importation of Negro slaves on the grounds that, "as the planters would have to pay much more for them, they would have an interest in preserving their lives, which was wanting in the case of (Irish)...." many of whom, he charged, were killed by overwork and cruel treatment. African Negroes cost generally about 20 to 50 pounds Sterling, compared to 900 pounds of cotton (about 5 pounds Sterling) for an Irish. They were also more durable in the hot climate, and caused fewer problems. The biggest bonus with the Africans though, was they were NOT Catholic, and any heathen pagan was better than an Irish Papist. Irish prisoners were commonly sentenced to a term of service, so theoretically they would eventually be free. In practice, many of the slavers sold the Irish on the same terms as prisoners for servitude of 7 to 10 years. There was no racial consideration or discrimination, you were either a freeman or a slave, but there was aggressive religious discrimination, with the Pope considered by all English Protestants to be the enemy of God and civilization, and all Catholics heathens and hated. Irish Catholics were not considered to be Christians. On the other hand, the Irish were literate, usually more so than the plantation owners, and thus were used as house servants, account keepers, scribes and teachers. But any infraction was dealt with the same severity, whether African or Irish, field worker or domestic servant. Floggings were common, and if a planter beat an Irish slave to death, it was not a crime, only a financial loss, and a lesser loss than killing a more expensive African. Parliament passed the Act to Regulate Slaves on British Plantations in 1667, designating authorized punishments to include whippings and brandings for slave offenses against a Christian. Irish Catholics were not considered Christians, even if they were freemen

http://www.raceandhistory.com/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl/noframes/read/1638

[Seanachie]

WOW!

Are ya meaning to tell me that I and all of my Irish predecessors are entitled to reparations? It may be time to contact Revs. Al & Jesse to see about this. Perhaps ACORN would be the better bet; they know how to find monetary rewards for even Pimps and Prostitutes and Lord knows they have unlimited funds to right all the social ingratitudes of the 'Slaver' upper class.

Thanks for the info. I'll get right on it!

Gratitudes, Jim >> (AKA Seanachie; the Irish euphemism for 'Storyteller').

PS: I will most definitely have to look up the books you have referenced.

[RickRhetoric]

There are some history books, written by Yankees in the 1870's, which portray "slaves" in America as more like indentured servants than true, classic slaves.

[Seanachie]

There are some history books, written by Yankees in the 1870's, which portray "slaves" in America as more like indentured servants than true, classic slaves.

Hello Rick,

Perhaps you may find this story interesting as it deals with indentured servitude:

My Fraternal Grandmother was born sometime in 1895 and was given up by her Mother for 'adoption' for and by the New York Foundling Home. The word 'adoption' as used in this context is a misnomer at best.

'Granny' was very quickly 'adopted' by a Germantown couple which is, I believe, a section of Philadelphia, Pa.

The reality is; 'Granny' was 'adopted' by this couple as part of of an 'Indentured Servitude Contract' with the NY Foundling Home (a very common practice at this time) to repay them for their magnanimous generosity in exchange for taking responsibility for this waif of a 'foundling'.

Fast forward to 1909 when 'Granny' turned 14; She was playing hop-scotch when her 'Mother' appeared with a nice dress, took her inside to get gussied up in what was considered the proper wedding attire of those times. (For poor folks anyways).

'Granny' was informed in no uncertain terms that she was to be married to a much older man on this very fateful day. She was whisked off (after being summarily married) to Brooklyn NY by this much older man by which she and he produced my Father's oldest (half) Brother. (MY Dad turns 80 in January and he is the last surviving sibling of two different Fathers. A total of 8 siblings, the 1st being; the half-brother, Joe).

Apparently, the 'Indentured Servitude' did not apply to marriage laws at that time.

Hey! We all know (as my Father pointed out to me sometime in my a teenage years) that the 'Rhythm Method' of birth control didn't work too well at all for Irish Catholics (or anyone else for that matter). My Father pointed this out emphatically by telling me; "all ten of ya's aren't here because you were all wanted. Don't ever trust that darn 'Method' !"

In any event....I thought I would share this 'Indentured Servitude' story with you as it came in many forms of 'law-bound' ways besides this particular one.

Be well,

Jim

PS: I tease my Father all the time for being the last surviving Son of a 'Slave'. He took it with 'resignation' to the 'facts' after one of my younger Sisters discovered this through her Genealogy 'research' many years ago. He still (he didn't take it too well when I informed him of this situation) gets a chuckle out of it as he approaches (in January) the 'Octogenarian' phase of his good long life.

[RickRhetoric]

Hello Rick,

Perhaps you may find this story interesting as it deals with indentured servitude:

Interesting and informative historical account. Thanks for that.

I have a book passed on to me from my great-grandfather. It deals with the farming and agriculture business of the mid 1880s. One of chapters deals with the legal management of "indentured servants."

Interestingly enough, the author refers to what we now know as slaves, as indentured servants.

The book, now deteriorating and crumbling, was written by a northern author and published by a northern publishing house.

[Seanachie]

Hello Rick,

I did a little research of my own on German-town, Philadelphia late last evening. It appears that this section of Philadelphia was founded by Quakers and Mennonites. Here is a Wikepedia link on the German-town settlement which began in 1681.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germantown,_Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania


Those folks ware anti-slavery very early on in American History. It's ironic indeed that my Grandmother wound up there as an indentured servant. I suppose the laws were even spun that early on in skirting the 'Slavery' issue. I also suppose that indentured servitude was not considered slavery in that at some point the indentured one would become a free-person at the end of whatever term was proscribed by law.

Please, please find a way to preserve the book passed onto you by your Great-Grandfather. Perhaps there is a Historical Society in your area that could aid in this or a Museum that deals with what is most certainly a brief History of that which is pure Americana. Or, perhaps, you yourself could provide some excerpts from the book itself.

Thank you and be well,

Jim

[byzantine catholic]

Hello Rick,

I did a little research of my own on German-town, Philadelphia late last evening. It appears that this section of Philadelphia was founded by Quakers and Mennonites. Here is a Wikepedia link on the German-town settlement which began in 1681.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germantown,_Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania


Those folks ware anti-slavery very early on in American History. It's ironic indeed that my Grandmother wound up there as an indentured servant. I suppose the laws were even spun that early on in skirting the 'Slavery' issue. I also suppose that indentured servitude was not considered slavery in that at some point the indentured one would become a free-person at the end of whatever term was proscribed by law.

Please, please find a way to preserve the book passed onto you by your Great-Grandfather. Perhaps there is a Historical Society in your area that could aid in this or a Museum that deals with what is most certainly a brief History of that which is pure Americana. Or, perhaps, you yourself could provide some excerpts from the book itself.

Thank you and be well,

JimMy family was Irish too and I will say this. In the South the Southerners liked the Irish better than the newly freed black slaves so they would not have to hire the black freedmen. In the North it was the opposite because the Northerners saw the Irish as immigrants taking jobs away from native-born Americans. And also the Protestants feared the massive Catholic immigration coming in the North while the South it was not as a big deal.